Like half the population of Ulster, the new GAA President appears to have spent much of his first championship summer in the hot-seat tutting through the Sunday Game.
Last May, he objected to Joe Brolly's infamous declaration that Cavan football was 'as ugly as Marty Morrissey', though, unlike most people, his response implied he was more offended on behalf of Cavan football. Today, Aogan O'Fearghaill described RTE's output as 'predictable' and 'tiresome' and 'consistent in its negativity'.
He heavily implied that the station's lippy pundits will be a consideration when the next broadcasting rights deal crops up.
The primary target for such criticism is disinclined to remain quiet. As far as Brolly is concerned, the GAA are trying to neuter him and as fellow straight shooters on the panel. Not for the first time, he employed a Rose of Tralee reference. Essentially, he argues that the hierarchy want bland, saccharine guff rather than honest comment.
@JohnFogartyIrl they want Rose of Tralee coverage, instead of the real stuff discussed by GAA folk in the stands & bars
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) August 25, 2015
@JohnFogartyIrl which is what people want to hear. Judging by the 775,000 that tuned into RTE on Sunday past
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) August 25, 2015
@mattmccullagh87@JohnFogartyIrl they had 1200 viewers in Ireland for the second hurling semi final (0.1% audience share).
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) August 25, 2015
Brolly was responding to Irish Examiner GAA correspondent John Fogarty, one of the eight privileged souls whom Brolly follows on Twitter.
